Clamp for dental flasks.



A. RUTAN.

CLAMP FOR DENTAL FLASKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1916.

1 ,21 ,876 Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

WITNESSES: llVI/E/VTOB,

I MTG/J57 UNITED stratus PATENT oruiou.

ALEXANDER RUTAN, OF BLAGKINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLAMP FOR DENTAL FLASKS.

Application filed February 3,1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER RUTAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blackington, in the'county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful v Improvements in Clamps for Dental Flasks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps for securing together the parts of dental flasks during the process of packing dentures and in the subsequent process of vulcanization.

The invention is. designed to combine the function. of the ordinary rigid press employed for packing rubber gum around the denture within the flask while the gum is being softened for the purpose, and also the, function of the ordinary spring clamp press employed to secure the parts of the flask together during the process of vulcanizing the rubber for setting the dentures.

In my prior U.,.S. application Serial No. 855,971, relating to clamps for dental flasks, I have shown an adjustable spring clamp constructed of non-flakable material and .adapted to maintain the requisite compression upon the flasks during the, process. of vulcanizing. j

My presentinvention relates to lmproved adjusting and tightening facilities adapted to a clamp constructed substantially in accordance with my prior invention. These improvements enable the device to be employed as a clamp in the packing process, so called, as well as in the vulcanizing process, and obviate the usual necessity of providing separate and distinct types of clamps. I Having referred to the general character and purpose of my invention, I will proceed to describe a specific useful form of embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side view of my device showing a pair of dental flasks operatively mounted therein, the relative position ofthe clamp adjusting means when thrown out of position for compression being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a top view of the same; Fig. 3, a rear view of the, clamp, the lower portion, being cut away; Fig. ,4, a vertical longitudinal section of the clamp in the form and position shown in Fig. 1; .Fig..5, a vertical longitudinal. section sinn 1-52;: latte Fig. i abet ing; a term Specification of Letters Patent.

justingscrew 4, which revolves freely. there Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Serial No. 75,970..

clamping adjustment, the forward end of the rocking arm and the lower portion of the-clamping device being cut away; Fig. 6, a side view of a modified form of clamp .base and upright. portion, and Figs. 7 and 8, edge and back views, respectively, of a detachable lever for operating the adjusting mechanism. v

As shown, in its preferred form, the device is a unitary structure constructed preferably of non-flakable material, such as phosphor-bronze, which is not injuriously affected by gases generated in the vulcanizing process, and comprisesa base 1, rounded in outline and having even top and bottom faces, an upright portion 2 secured to the base, and clamping meansv provided at the upper end of the upright portion While I have shown the upright portion 2 forming an integral attachment to the base 1, it is apparent that these parts may be separate units and detachably secured together, as illustrated in my said prior application.

The. clamping means includes a horizontally arranged rocker arm 3 pivotally mounted upon a shaft 7 journaled at its opposite ends in bearing blocks 8,8, secured in spaced relation on. the front face of the upright portion 2 by screws 9, 9. The rocker arm 3 is arranged to tilt at its forward end to,- ward the base 1, said forward end being provided with a threaded bore to receive a vertically arranged adjusting screw 4 having an enlarged polyhedral head, and supporting .at its lower end a presser block 5 movably secured thereto. Said presser block 5. has a flat lower face and is provided on its upper face forwardly with a circular recess 10 to receive the lower end of the adin, downward displacement of the presser block 5 being prevented by a horizontally arranged pin 13 carried by the presser block and projecting through the recess 10, said pin. being adapted to take into an annular groove 14 provided at the lower end of the adjusting, screw 4. The presser block 5 is prevented from rotating with the adjusting screw4 by means of a vertically arranged fixed pinlltseated in a corresponding'recess provided in the top face of the presser block inthe rear of the adjusting screw and extending upward freely through a transverse bore 12.. provided through the rocker M'111' .Ifhe upright paetisa 2 i s prefer ably crowned lengthwise to decentralize and distribute the stress applied thereto when the clamp is under heavy pressure, and is inclined forward at an angle to the base to Fig. 6, said core being embedded lengthwise in the upright portion 23 and extended downward preferably into the base 24.

The tilting of the rocker arm 3 is. accomplished by meansof a cam member15 carried centrally on a horizontally arranged cam shaft 6 secured at opposite ends in spaced blocks 16, 16, provided at the upper end of the upright portion 2 on the rear face thereof and secured thereto in detachable relation by means of screws 17 17. The cam member 15 is secured in fixed relation upon the shaft 6 and-is adapted to be swung upward to engage with and elevate the rear end of the rocker arm 3, which projects through a longitudinal slot 18 provided centrallyin the upper end of the upright por tion 2, the rotationof the cam shaft 6 being accomplished preferably by means of a detachable lever 19 having a transverse opening20 through one end adapted to receive the extension provided on one end of the shaft 6, the tip 21'of the shaft being preferably squaredto conform to the opening 20 of the lever.

In the modification of the adjusting mechanism shown in Fig. 5, the rear end of the rocker arm 30 is provided with a longitudinal slot 31 in which a roller- 32 is mounted upon a pin33 secured at opposite ends in the rocker arm, said roller 32 being arranged tocontact with the cam-member 15,when swung upward to tiltthe rocker arm 30, thus reducing the friction of these parts during engagement.

In operation the adjusting mechanism is tilted upward as shown in the dotted lines of Fig.1 to allow the flasks, 25, 25, to be arranged in superimposed relation on the base of the clamps.- The adjusting mechanism is thenrestored to its originalposition in which the rocker arm 30 assumes a hori- 'zontal position. The presser block 5 is then lowered into engagement with the dental flasks by means of the rotation of adjusting screw 1. Sufficient pressure upon the flasks for the packing process is accomplished by means of the adjusting screw" without the additional pressure provided by the tilting of the rocker arm through the medium of the cam 15, and may be varied from time to time as the packing process progresses by the rotation of the adjusting screw 4. During the process of vulcanization, however, when excessive pressure is required the presser block 5 is forced down as far as possible by means of the adjusting screw 4, which is provided with a polyhedral head to enable the operator to apply a hand wrench. When the presser block 5 has been screwed down as far as the flasks will admit, further pressure is produced by tilting the rocker arm downward at its forward end through the medium of the cam 15, the ad ditional tension thereby exerted causing the upright portion of the clamp to yield in its normal position without injuring the flasks. As the process of vulcanization advances and the contents of the flasks are increased or diminished the necessary pressure thereon is maintained by the yielding qualities of the resilient upright portion, thus obviating constant attention and readjusting by the operator.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a base, a resilient upright member secured to the base, a horizontally arranged arm pivoted on the upright member and projecting over the base, and means for tilting the for- 1\Ovard end of the pivotal arm toward the ase.

2. In a device of the class described, a

base, a resilient upright member secured to the base and having a horizontally arranged extension projecting over the'base, an adjustable clamping member secured to the forward end of said extension, and means for moving the clamping member toward and away from the base.

3. In a device of the class described, a base, an upright member secured to the base, and clamping means carried on the upright member and including a horizontally arranged arm pivoted to move vertically, means .for tilting the pivotal arm toward the base, an adjustable extension member depending from the forward end of the pivotal arm, and means for actuating said extension member toward and away from the pivotal arm.

4. In a dental clamp, a base, an upright portion secured to the base, a horizontally arranged arm pivoted to move vertically on the upright portion and projecting over thebase, a clamping member carried on the outerend of said pivotal arm and extending toward the base, means for adjusting the clamping member toward and away from the base, and separate means for tilting said pivotal arm toward the base;

5. In a dental clamp, the combination, with a support including a base and an upright member secured to the base, of clampsion member, and means for preventing the 10 ing means carried on said upright member extension member from rotating. 7 and including a horizontally arranged arm In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my pivoted to move toward and away from the signature in presence of two witnesses.

base, a cam member for tilting the forward end of said pivotal arm toward the base, an ALEXANDER RUTAN' extension member depending from the for- WVitnesses:

ward end of said pivotal arm, an adjusting JNo. J. WHITTLESEY.

screw for elevating and lowering the eXten MICHAEL S. EISNER.

Copies of this patent ma be obtained 01 five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0! 

